Losing Your Virginity

Eyebrows shoot up; gasps of surprise and shock can be heard echoing over cyberspace, and dear friends immediately grab their phones: Wanda has delivered a shocker!

Hang on to your underwear people!

I have finished reading my very first Francine Rivers novel, which means I am officially no longer a Francine Virgin!

For those of you who love reading, and don't mind a thick 400 page book every now and again, you will understand that I immediately realized I was going to be sleep deprived when my sister handed me Redeeming Love (sleep deprived, because once I start, there is no way of stopping me!).

And the emotions running through my veins and heart was overwhelming as I read this beautifully heartbreaking story. The lump in my throat refused to budge and I had to force myself countless times to swallow really hard. My tears were dangerously close to streaming down my cheeks at least once every chapter, and frustration gripped me a couple of times when I realized the characters were heading down a very dangerous and slippery road.

But the hope remained. And the realization of redemption and healing dawned on me so overwhelmingly, I had to stand in awe.

Exploring the character of Angel made me realize that all of us are haunted by a past that we see no way out of. We are constantly reminded that we are not worthy, and that we are not strong enough to claw our way out of it on our own.

And once the character of Daniel was introduced, I instinctively knew that I wanted to be like him, without a doubt. And the answer lies in the Guiding Hand that brings these two together.

If you don't think you're up to reading Redeeming Love, all is not lost. Go and read the story of Hosea and Gomer. Hosea wrote it down, detailed and proud, as a testimony of the redemption and healing I spoke of earlier. You'll find it in the book of Hosea, in the Old Testament of The Bible.